


car radio

by Nerlune



Series: Transformations [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Inspired by twenty one pilots, Laura Hale Feels, Stiles is smarter than he lets on, and to stiles of course, canon character death, scotty is so precious to me, season one, smart!Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-17 11:10:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5867068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nerlune/pseuds/Nerlune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A character study for the sourwolf. Or asshole, as Laura would say.<br/>or<br/>What if season one had ended a little differently?</p>
            </blockquote>





	car radio

**Author's Note:**

> This fic spawned from me listening to Car Radio on repeat. It just seemed to fit Derek. This is the end of season one, after Derek is freed from the chains. It might be a little off since it's been a while since I've watched the first season, but spare me your hate, ya?

_"My pride is no longer inside_  
_It's on my sleeve_  
_My skin will scream_  
_Reminding me of_  
_Who I killed inside my dream_  
_I hate this car that I'm driving_  
_There's no hiding for me_  
_I'm forced to deal with what I feel_  
_There is no distraction to mask what is real"_  
_Car Radio - Twenty One Pilots_

Derek is more observant than people would expect. The intelligence is always hidden behind his facade of snarling sarcasm and angry words. But—his sister had always noticed, always brought it up (she knew that he got embarrassed and tried constantly to make his ears turn red ‘you’re like Rudolph, Der!’). He remembered her raised eyebrow and self-deprecating smirk when he had confronted her over her plans to leave New York. 

_“Noticed that, did ya? I was hoping you wouldn’t realize until I was half way there.” He probably had an offended look on his face because she quickly shook her head, “no, not like that. I just need to go and it’s so hard to say no to you.” Her face transformed into a fond smile, “You’ve always been observant I should have known this would happen…”_

It was the last face-to-face conversation the two had. And maybe that was why he was so stalwart against anyone realizing he was more than an angry face. He didn’t look like an attentive person, and he was fine with hiding that part of himself. (All he could think about when he noticed things was the pained memory of Laura’s last smirk to him, it burned through his chest like the blade must have to her).

Right now he’s sitting in his car. The Camaro that used to belong to Laura—the memories encased in the frame and seats made him bittersweet. The radio had always been on—too loud for their sensitive ears—and Laura would belt out whatever was playing. She always had an uncanny ability to know all the lyrics, every time. It bothered him, since he could never remember lyrics, but now he’d give anything to have those times back.

He shook his head and focused on the problems he was facing now (the echoes of his sisters singing rang in his ears and his wolf whined in despair). They were going to attack Peter tonight, all of the human friends of Scott would be helping. And he had to figure out what to do about the lie he told to the teen wolf. Once bitten and turned… there was no way to go back to human. But, to get Scott’s help he needed to let him think there was a way. 

And now he’s screwed. He groaned and knew that if Laura were here she’d be slapping the back of his head and then laughing at him (‘god, Der, you really fucked this one up, didn’t ya?’). But he couldn’t take the words back, and he couldn’t admit to Scott that it wasn’t true. 

Beyond the inability to take responsibility for his lies, there is pride in Derek. More pride than was healthy. After the devastating deaths of his family, he had wrapped himself in negativity and pride because it would keep people away from him, and it worked better than he thought it would. 

This pride made him dislike any thought of including Scott and Stiles in any of his plans. But he desired a pack (Laura would smile wistfully at him and whisper, ‘packs are the best thing for us… ours used to be big, Der… we need that back.’) and the teenagers needed one. 

He sighed roughly and knew what he would need to do to get Scotts’ trust. 

-

The fight was unpleasant. Fighting family is probably rock bottom on the list of things he wanted to do (memories of play fighting with his younger siblings ran through his mind and he could hear the pitiful, weak growling of the younger children).  
Peter’s laying on the ground and Derek looks at him, eyes running over the familiar (and yet so different, so gone and wrong) form. It’s smoking, still, silent. 

He knew what he needed to do if he wanted Scott and Stiles to be with him. He knew—but that didn’t mean he needed to like it. He frowned harshly and shook his head roughly before turning to the teen wolf. He jerked his head and Scott followed him. He knew the teenager (panic resting in every line of the tanned face at the thought of hurting anybody) and he knew what would happen. 

He still didn’t like it. 

Scott and him found themselves standing over the body and he looks at the other wolf before speaking.

“Hurry. You need to do it now.” He took a deep breath and as he exhaled the younger man arched his claws in a direct path to Peter’s throat. His eyes didn’t miss a thing, and he watched as Scott moved.

A dull thud, and the claws were stuck in the dirt. 

“I c-can’t.” It was tearful, heartbroken, bitter.

So Derek threw his fist forward and let his claws rip into his uncle’s throat. There was a spray of blood and a gurgle then the body was silent once more. 

Scott puked and Derek touched his shoulder, once, with his clean hand. 

Derek looked up at Stiles and nodded at him. The human was watching the scene with clear, sharp, assessing eyes and when he looked at Derek there was a sad smile on his face—there was no hostility. He sighed and nodded once more before moving to grab the shovel he brought for digging graves. 

“Thank you.” It was said to him in passing, the humans voice quiet and thoughtful. “He would have never forgiven you if you didn’t let him try.” 

Derek smirked, “I know.”

-

He wasn’t an idiot. When the next supernatural creature started attacking people he made sure Stiles and Scott knew. 

When he suspected Lydia, he did it their way.

He knew—though he didn’t like it—that the teens were better on his side. And even if he didn’t want to mention it, he knew he was better with them by his side. 

He sat in his Camaro and stared at the car radio. Memories of songs and terrible singing echoed in his ears and he let himself feel. The pride he kept wrapped around him could have ruined the relationship between him and the two other teens. Arrogance would have convinced him that it was okay. 

Hubris is the downfall of many.

He’s just lucky he has a sister who can still help him from beyond the grave. 

The silence in the car reverberated in his ears and he let a small smile surface on his face. Laura had always told him that a wolf was better with a pack, and now that she was gone… he refused to disregard the advice given to him. 

It would have been so easy to disrespect her memory and advice, but like the good brother he is (he could hear the phantom snort and playful punch he would have gotten for calling himself a good brother, ‘are you sure about that asshole?’) he didn’t. 

It was raining outside and the pittering and pattering of the drops lulled him into calmness. The silence from the radio seemed to poke at him but he left it off. His hands gently caressed the rarely used thing then he shook his head and let the rain soothe him once more.

Not yet. But, maybe soon.

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of my series Transformations, and it's technically the first one.


End file.
